About the Journal of Hospital Medicine

Vision

The Journal of Hospital Medicine (JHM) is the premier peer-reviewed publication for the specialty of Hospital Medicine and is dedicated to publishing evidence that will transform care of the hospitalized patient.

Mission

JHM advances excellence in Hospital Medicine clinical care and research through the dissemination of peer-reviewed studies, evidence-based clinical care updates and reviews, and rigorous evaluations of approaches to improve the quality, safety, and value of care for hospitalized adults and children.

JHM’s Editorial Priorities

JHM is a peer-reviewed publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine and is published 12 times per year. JHM publishes manuscripts that address the care of hospitalized adults or children.

Broad areas of interest include (1) Treatments for common inpatient conditions; (2) Approaches to improving perioperative care; (3) Improving care for hospitalized patients with geriatric or pediatric vulnerabilities (such as mobility problems, or those with complex longitudinal care); (4) Evaluation of innovative healthcare delivery or educational models; (5) Approaches to improving the quality, safety, and value of healthcare across the acute- and postacute-continuum of care; and (6) Evaluation of policy and payment changes that affect hospital and postacute care.

Papers with the highest likelihood of publication use robust research methods to examine questions of importance to the field of adult or pediatric Hospital Medicine and produce results that will influence clinical practice or healthcare policy.

Open Access Policies for the Journal of Hospital Medicine

Open access content is immediately and permanently available online and allows users to link, read, download, store, use, and data-mine the content of that article, even commercially, without permission—provided that credit is given to the original authors and journal.

All accepted open access articles receive the following open access benefits:

Articles will be published under the CC-BY license

The author will retain the copyright of the article

The article will be freely available in perpetuity on the journal website for any user, worldwide

The article will have the OPEN indicator published on the article in the PDF and online to make it visible to readers that the article is open access

All open access articles are subject to peer review, editorial oversight, and the journal’s production process. The submission and review process for open access articles will follow the same process as for nonopen access articles, but there are additional forms and steps that need to be taken to publish your work as open access.

Authors have up to one year to request that their article be published as open access.

Author Requirements for Open Access

An Article Process Charge (APC) of $4,000 ($2,000 for SHM members) is payable to the publisher to publish open access on this site and to complete licensing and payment forms. If you wish to request Open Access, email [email protected], and within 2 weeks of the request, the publisher will email you the invoice.

BRIEF REPORTS

Brief reports provide focused reporting of Original Research findings. Though shortened in format, they should attempt to adhere to JHM Author Guidelines for reporting specific types of research. See our "No Hassle" New Submission Process.

LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Leadership and Professional Development (LPD) series are ultra-brief “pearls” that highlight important lessons in professional growth, management, innovation, leadership and followership. The articles must include a brief quote that captures the essence of the “wisdom” within the pearl and provides practical ways to apply this to hospitalist practice as early as the following day.

PROGRESS NOTES: CLINICAL PROGRESS NOTE

Provide a brief, practical, and pertinent update on the last 2-5 years of evidence related to diagnosis, treatment, risk stratification, and/or prevention of a clinical problem highly pertinent to hospitalists around a topic relevant to hospitalists. [progress notes details]

1,800 words

2 or fewer tables or figures (tables no more than 5 columns wide, 25 lines long

15 references or less

Abstract: None

PROGRESS NOTES: METHODOLOGICAL PROGRESS NOTE

Provide our readers with insight into the application of quantitative, qualitative, and quality improvement methods commonly used in work published in this journal. [progress notes details]

1,800 words

2 or fewer tables or figures (tables no more than 5 columns wide, 25 lines long

15 references or less

Abstract: None

CLINICAL GUIDELINE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE HOSPITALIST

A brief, targeted review of recently published clinical guidelines, distilling the major recommendations relevant to hospital medicine and placing them in context of the available evidence. [clinical guideline highlights details]

CLINICAL CARE CONUNDRUMS

The Clinical Care Conundrums (CCC) series are narrative, clinical problem-solving exercises that are developed in a collaborative fashion between the submitting author, a blinded expert clinician, and JHM Editors and/or National Correspondents. Submissions to this section require pre-approval by the editorial staff.

Authors interested in submitting a CCC should review a previously published JHM CCC and consider whether their case can meet this required format. Prior to preparing a manuscript, prospective authors must email a prospectus to [email protected] for presubmission review. [prospectus]

If the prospectus is of interest to JHM, the author will then be invited to submit a draft CCC for formal review and further development by Editors or JHM National Correspondents. Initiation of this collaborative review and revision process does not guarantee acceptance.

2,750 words

No more than 4 tables or figures (tables no more than 5 columns wide, 25 lines long)

20 references or less

Abstract: None

PERSPECTIVES IN HOSPITAL MEDICINE

Perspectives in Hospital Medicine articles can address virtually any topic pertaining to hospital medicine or healthcare more broadly. They may highlight matters of public health or ethics, new breakthroughs in clinical therapies, controversies in care delivery innovation or policy, or factors that will shape the future of healthcare. Papers suitable for this format primarily pertaining to healthcare value should be submitted for consideration to the Choosing Wisely®: Next Steps in Improving Healthcare Value series.

Priority areas for the series include commentaries on value of care with emphasis on novel or redesigned healthcare delivery or payment models as well as programs focused on improving population health. In general, manuscripts pertaining to more focused value initiatives (eg, single site quality improvement projects) are better suited for other Journal of Hospital Medicine article formats.

Submissions to this section require pre-approval by the editorial staff. Interested authors should submit a brief (500 word) description of the proposed topic to [email protected].

1,500 words

1 Table

15 references or less

Unstructured Abstract: 150 words or less

CHOOSING WISELY ®: THINGS WE DO FOR NO REASONTM

Choosing Wisely®: Things We Do For No ReasonTM are articles that, using a case-based approach, describe practices (tests, procedures, management strategies) that may be poorly supported by evidence or which have become part of standard practice based despite the availability of less expensive or higher value alternatives.

Submissions to this section require pre-approval by the editorial staff. Interested authors should submit a brief (500 word) description of the proposed topic to [email protected] for consideration before submission

1,500 words or less

1 table

15 references or less

Abstract: None

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

200 words or less

5 references or less

No tables or figures

Abstract: None

EDITORIALS

Editorials are typically invited by the Editor and provide additional context or interpretation of research published in a specific issue.

Description of the JHM Review Process

Manuscripts are accepted for review with the understanding that the same work has not been previously published, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, and that its submission for publication has been approved by all persons listed as authors and by the appropriate authority at the institution where the work was carried out.

Manuscripts undergo initial review by JHM Editors at which time a decision whether to request peer review is made.

Our mean time from submission to rejection without formal peer review is 1.3 days.

If we send a manuscript out for peer review, our average time from submission to first decision is 23 days.

Most manuscripts for which we request a revision are ultimately accepted for publication pending appropriate revision.

We strongly encourage authors to recommend potential peer reviewers as part of the manuscript submission process. Peer reviewer identities are kept confidential, but author identities are made known to reviewers. Authors can check the status of their manuscript by accessing their password-protected manuscript file at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/JHM. Or, please contact the Editorial Office by e-mail at [email protected].

If a revision is requested, authors will have 45 days in which to submit their revised manuscript. Extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Manuscript Format Requirement Details - Initial Submission

"No Hassle” New Submissions

The Journal of HospitalMedicine (JHM) has relaxed the submission formatting requirements for the initial submission of original research and brief report manuscript submissions.

For new original research and brief report submissions, submit your manuscript using the format of your choice (you may still elect to make the initial submission using the format outlined by JHM). By giving authors this choice, we want to reduce the time and hassle involved in adhering to strict formatting rules for initial submissions.

If JHM requests a revised submission, we will then provide detailed guidance about the required manuscript formatting.

“No Hassle” New Submission Details

The “No Hassle” New Submission process applies only to original research and brief report manuscripts.

The file may be uploaded as a single PDF or a Word document.

The title page should include:

Article title

Running title (a short version of the title, up to 40 characters)

Author names with academic degrees and affiliations

Manuscript word count

All authors will receive links to complete conflict of interest disclosure forms and copyright transfer agreements once the article is provisionally accepted. The conflict of interest disclosure forms are based on ICMJE standards.

There are no strict formatting requirements, but all manuscripts must be readable (double-spaced text is preferred) and contain the essential elements of a research manuscript, eg, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Tables and Figures (with legends) placed at the end of the manuscript if submitting these as part of a single document.

References can be in any style or format as long as the style is consistent

While the formatting requirements have been relaxed for the convenience of the authors, note that the content of the submission must adhere to Journal standards regarding language, clarity, spelling, grammar, and word counts (3,000 or fewer words for original research manuscripts and 1,500 or fewer words for brief report manuscripts).

There is no need to upload signed copyright forms and disclosure statements at the time of initial submission. These documents are required only when a manuscript revision is submitted.

General Guidance

Prepare your manuscript and illustrations in the appropriate format, according to the instructions given below. Please also be sure that your paper conforms to the scientific and style instructions of the journal.

If you are submitting for the first time, you will need to create a new account. You can create one for yourself in the system at the submission site by clicking on the “Create Account” button.

If you are unsure of your password, enter your e-mail address in the “Password Help” box. If you have an account, a temporary password will be e-mailed to you to gain access to your account. Subsequently, to monitor the progress of your manuscript throughout the review process, log in to ScholarOne Manuscripts periodically and check your Author Center.

When you are ready to submit your manuscript, let the system guide you through the submission process. Online help is available to you at all times during the process by clicking "Get Help Now" in the upper right hand corner of the screen. You are also able to exit and re-enter the submission process at any stage by clicking on “Unsubmitted Manuscripts” in your Author Center and revising your information. When all steps in the submission process are complete, click the “Submit” button located at the bottom right hand corner of the submission screen’s last page. At the end of a successful submission, a confirmation screen with a manuscript number will appear and you will receive an e-mail confirming that the manuscript has been received by the journal. If this does not happen, please check your submission and/or contact tech support at [email protected].

Manuscript Format Requirement Details

The requirements below apply to the initial submission for all article types except new original research and brief report submissions, which may follow the “no hassle” new submission process for the initial submission. Revised original research and brief report submissions must also adhere to the format requirements detailed below. Manuscripts that do not adhere to our guidelines may be returned to authors for correction.

Please upload all manuscripts as Word files (.doc or .docx) using the “Main Document” file designation in ScholarOne. Tables and Digital Images should be uploaded separately as described below. Do not include tables or images within the main document.

Cover Letter: A cover letter must be uploaded to ScholarOne Manuscripts upon submission.

Title Page: All documents must include a title page listing article title; running title (a short version of the title, up to 40 characters); all authors with academic degrees and affiliations, disclosure and funding statement, and telephone number, email address and twitter handle (optional) for the corresponding author.

All relevant financial conflicts of interest should appear on the title page, and can be transcribed from the ICMJE COI form.

Abstracts:Abstracts should accompany all original research, brief report, reviews, and Choosing Wisely: Next Steps in Improving Healthcare Value. Other manuscript types should not include an abstract.

Structured abstracts should be no longer than 250 words and should include relevant sub-headings. Clinical trials should also include the Trial Registration registry, registration number, and URL of the registry as a separate heading.

Unstructured abstracts should be no longer than either 150 words or 250 words, depending on article type, and should describe the intent of the manuscript, its approach or rationale, and major findings (or key points for readers) in a paragraph format.

Describe the scope of the problem and key manuscript points in a 250 word paragraph

Brief Reports

Unstructured, 150 words

Describe project/manuscript intent, approach, and major findings in a 150 word paragraph

Choosing Wisely: Next Steps in Improving Healthcare Value

Unstructured, 150 words

Describe project/manuscript intent, approach, and major findings in a 150 word paragraph

The following article types do not require abstracts: Leadership & Professional Development, Clinical Guideline Highlights for the Hospitalist, Clinical Care Conundrums, Perspectives in Hospital Medicine, Choosing Wisely: Things We Do For No ReasonTM, Letters to the Editor, and Editorials.

Research Manuscript guidance

Original research and brief report manuscripts should normally be divided into four sections as follows:

Introduction: The purpose of the study should be described with some background. Citations should be confined to work that is directly relevant and bulk citations should be avoided. If the work is hypothesis-driven, authors are encouraged to include the hypothesis in this section.

Methods (or Patients and Methods): Describe the study design (eg, prospective or retrospective, randomized or observational, inclusion and exclusion criteria, duration of study), setting, and the study population (demographics, length of follow-up). Any interventions should be described in detail and how they were implemented. Please provide flowcharts if possible to clarify patient enrollment and loss to follow-up. You can include statistical code and add protocols for scientific research and clinical trial information as an appendix to be included in the online version of your mansucript.

Results: Provide a detailed report on the data obtained during the study. All data in the text must be consistent throughout the manuscript, including any illustrations, legends, or tables.

Conclusion/Discussion: The Discussion should summarize but not repeat the Results. Be succinct. Is your hypothesis affirmed or refuted? Analyze your data and discuss strengths and limitations of the study. Consider structuring the discussion of research reports and systematic reviews, including meta-analyses, in the following sequence. First, briefly summarize key findings, with particular emphasis on how the findings add to the body of pertinent knowledge. Second, discuss possible mechanisms and explanations for the findings. Third, compare study results with relevant findings from other published work. Fourth, discuss the limitations of the present study and any methods used to minimize or compensate for those limitations. Fifth, mention any crucial future research directions. Sixth, conclude with a brief section that summarizes in a straightforward and circumspect manner the clinical implications of the work.

Tables

All tables should be uploaded separately as Word files (.doc or .docx) using the file designation “Table.” Check your manuscript type to see the individual limits for number of tables, figures, or other images.

Number tables consecutively with Arabic numerals in the order of their appearance in the text.

Use single-spacing within tables with horizontal lines to separate row headings; do not use verticle lines.

Data appearing in tables should be summarized, not duplicated, in the text.

References may be cited in a table, figure legend, or footnote and not in the text. In such circumstances, ensure that the numbering of references remains consecutive. For example, if Table 2 contains reference 13, which does not appear in the text, this is acceptable provided the last reference cited (for the first time) before the first text citation of Table 2 is reference 12.

Figures, Charts, Images

All digital art (this includes Figures, Schemes, Charts, etc.) should use the file designation “Image”. Images can be uploaded as part of a single document for the initial submission. When submitting a revised manuscript, each image should be saved and uploaded separately. Please supply numbered headings and captions for each within the manuscript Word file and in the manuscript details. Check your manuscript type for the individual limits for number of tables, figures, or other images.

Image resolution: All clinical photographs must have a resolution yielding 300 dpi or higher.

Color illustrations: Color illustrations are helpful in demonstrating findings and illustrating concepts. All color figures will be reproduced in full color in the online edition of the journal as well as in print at no cost to the authors.

Patient identification: Patient identification must be masked in photographs; otherwise, a signed permission statement is required. A simple black box covering the eyes is not sufficient.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledge only persons who have contributed to the scientific content or provided technical support. Authors are responsible for obtaining and submitting to the editorial office written permission from anyone (with an MD or PhD) named in the Acknowledgements section. The acknowledgement section should precede the reference list. All disclosures and conflicts of interest should appear on the title page.

Stylistic recommendations:

Every effort should be made to avoid jargon, to spell out all nonstandard abbreviations the first time they are mentioned, and to present the contents of the study as clearly and concisely as possible.

Figure legends should be typed double-spaced and numbered with Arabic numerals corresponding to the illustrations. When symbols, arrows, numbers, or letters are used to identify parts of the illustrations, each should be explained clearly in the legend. For photomicrographs, the internal scale markers should be defined and the methods of staining should be given.

For experiments in which humans were studied, you must have approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB), preferably at the site of the study, and describe your method of informed consent.

Patients’ names, initials, or hospital numbers should not be used. For experiments on animals, indicate whether the institution’s or the National Research Council’s guide for the care and use of laboratory animals was followed.

For drugs and chemicals, the generic name should be used at first mention and, preferably, thereafter. A trade name may appear in parentheses and should be capitalized.

Statistical methods should be described in detail.

The statement “no significant difference was found between two groups” cannot be made unless a power study was done and the value of alpha or beta is reported.

Use of the word significant requires reporting of a p value.

Ninety-five percent confidence intervals should be used whenever possible.

Use of the word “correlation” requires reporting of the correlation coefficient.

References:

References should be numbered sequentially in the order they are cited in the text.

All references listed must be cited within the text.

List references double-spaced in a separate reference section immediately following the text. All references should be in the style described in the American Medical Association Manual of Style. Note the following examples:

List all authors when there are six or fewer; for seven or more, list only the first three and add “et al.”

Use Index Medicus abbreviations for journal names.

Include references to unpublished material in the text parenthetically, not in the references (eg, papers in preparation or submitted for publication, papers presented orally at a meeting, personal communication), and submit a letter of permission from the cited persons to cite such communications. In general, avoid citations to unpublished scientific research.

Standards for Reporting

We recommend that authors of research articles and certain review article types (ie, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, scoping reviews) utilize reporting guidelines relevant to their article type. Reporting guidelines and checklists to upload with your article are available at www.equator-network.org.

Authors of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials should consult the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) Statement for guidance on content that should be included in the report. Include your PRISMA checklist with submission.

Authors of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies in epidemiology should similarly consult the MOOSE (Meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology) Statement for reporting requirements.

Scoping reviews should follow the PRISMA-Scr recommendations. In addition, the checklist for your scoping review should be submitted as an Appendix with your manuscript.

Submission of your systematic review PROSPERO protocol as an appendix and CRD registration number is recommended.

Authors reporting the results of randomized, controlled clinical trials should refer to the CONSORT statement while preparing their manuscript for submission. This statement includes a checklist (for reviewers) and flow diagram (for publication) detailing the methods used by the authors (http://www.consort-statement.org/).

Clinical Trials Registration

All clinical trials must be registered at an appropriate online public registry. A clinical trial is any study that prospectively assigns human participants to intervention and comparison groups to investigate the cause-and-effect relationship between a medical intervention and a health outcome. Authors can obtain current information on acceptable registries at http://www.icmje.org.

Authors’ Professional and Ethical Responsibilities

The Journal of Hospital Medicine adheres to the guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journals Editors regarding authorship (www.icmje.org).

Persons designated as authors must meet all of the following criteria:

Contributing to the conception and design, or analyzing and interpreting data.

Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

Approving the final version to be published. Supporting the study or collecting data does not constitute authorship. Authorship based solely on position (eg, research supervisor, department head) is not permitted.

JHM adheres to the authorship guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (www.icmje.org). If you are invited to submit a revised manuscript for possible publication, you will be asked to submit a form detailing the contributions of each author. The form, which must be uploaded as Supplementary Material Not for Review, will appear online as Supporting Information if the article is published. Failure to upload the form with your revision will block further manuscript processing.

Conflict of Interest

The Journal of Hospital Medicine complies with the position of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors on “Conflict of Interest.” Conflict of interest for authors is defined as “financial and other conflicts of interest that might bias their work” (www.icmje.org).

Authors are responsible for making certain that their manuscript provides full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial) and any other pertinent final information. If any of the authors or their institution received commercial support for the submitted work (eg, payment, grant, or assistance with study design, analysis, or manuscript preparation, it must be included on the manuscript's title page.

All authors will receive links to complete conflict of interest disclosure forms once the article is provisionally accepted.

All authors must disclose if they, or any immediate family member, within the last three years have had any affiliations that they consider to be relevant and important with any organization that to any author’s knowledge has a direct interest, particularly a financial interest, in the subject matter or materials discussed. Such affiliations include but are not limited to: employment by an industrial concern, ownership of stock, membership on a standing committee or board of directors, consultancies, or being publicly associated with a company or its products.

Other areas of real or perceived conflict of interest include the receipt of honoraria, consulting fees, grants, or funds from such corporations or individuals representing such corporations. Conflict of interest can exist whether or not an individual believes that the relationship affects his or her scientific judgment.

Research that involves human participants includes investigations that use only human blood, tissue, or medical records. The authors must confirm review of the study by the appropriate institutional review board (IRB) or affirm that the protocol is consistent with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association declaration of Helsinki. Recommendations guiding physicians in biomedical research involving human subjects. JAMA 1997;277:925-6.) If the authors did not obtain IRB approval before the start of the study, they should so state and explain the circumstances. If the study was exempt from review, the authors must state that such exemption complied with the policy of their local IRB. They should affirm that study participants gave their informed consent or state that an IRB approved conduct of the research without explicit consent from the participants. If patients are identifiable from illustrations, photographs, pedigrees, case reports, or other study data, the authors must submit the release form for each such individual (or copies of the figures with the appropriate release statement) giving permission for publication with the manuscript.

Scientific Misconduct and Breach of Publication Ethics

Breaches of publication ethics include: failure to reveal financial conflicts of interest; redundant or duplicate publications; omitting a deserving author or adding a non-contributing author; misrepresenting publication status in the bibliography (erroneously claiming that a paper is “in press”, fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism with intent to deceive by the authors. Honest errors or differences in interpretation are not considered misconduct.

If research misconduct is suspected, the Editor reserves the right to notify and forward the submitted manuscript to the chief executive officer or dean of the sponsoring institution, the funding institution, or other appropriate authority for investigation. The Editor will notify the authors of the journal’s intention to report a suspicion of research misconduct.

Statements of Disclosure: If needed, please include statements of disclosure for the following: Statement by the responsible author certifying that all coauthors have seen and agree with the contents of the manuscript; author’s statement of responsibility for clinical trial data (if applicable); statement certifying that the submission (aside from abstracts) is not under review by any other publication; and/or disclosure of any financial interest or notification of redundant or duplicate publication; disclosures of financial support from, or equity positions in, manufacturers of drugs or products mentioned in the manuscript; and trial registry information.

Post Acceptance

At the time of acceptance, Authors will also be asked to generate two tweets to accompany their paper’s publication via the JHM Twitter feed.

The Publisher will send electronic proofs to the corresponding author for correction. Please check them carefully as it is the author’s responsibility to ensure that there are no errors in the proofs. Changes done in the course of copyediting to conform to Journal style should be allowed to stand if they do not alter meaning. All changes should be clearly marked and the proofs promptly returned to the Publisher as directed.

Attention: Please note manuscript submissions to JHM now submitted for plagiarism detection through CrossCheck. CrossCheck is a multi-publisher initiative to screen published and submitted content for originality, and uses iThenticate software to detect instances of overlapping and similar text in submitted manuscripts. To find out more about CrossCheck visit crossref.org/crosscheck.html. Authors are also encouraged to review the Office of Research Integrity's definition of self-plagiarism, which can be found at ori.hhs.gov/plagiarism-13.